Darkness
by NightFury808
Summary: Stormkit has a mysterious dream. Could this be linked to the sudden dissapearance of the kits? NO FLAMERS!
1. Prologue

Prologue

Stormkit stood in the forest by the stream. The winds whipped around her, making her squeeze her eyes shut.

"Stormkit." The breeze seemed to whisper.

Stormkit turned around to see a sturdy bracken colored tom sitting beside a willow tree.

"Oakheart?" She squeaked.

Oakheart nodded.

"_Danger is coming, Stormkit. Darkness will smother the fire, leaving the storm alone. But hope will join the battle, in a attempt for victory."_

Oakheart faded, leaving Stormkit all alone.

"Wait, Oakheart!" Stormkit wailed. "What do you mean?"

But the kits only reply was the sound of the moaning wind.

Reedpebble guarded the entrance to the camp, but was unaware of a cat slinking in from behind the medicine cat's den. Darkshade twitched his whiskers in triumph. His spy was keeping him well posted on the secret entrances to camp. He slunk around the edges of camp, till he reached the nursery. The queens and kits were asleep, but a tiny tabby kit raised his head sleepily when Darkshade approached.

"Who's there?" The kit squeaked, standing up drowsily.

"It's your father, Leafstripe." He meowed, hoping the kit would be fooled. He had the same dark pelt as the kits true father, but he was missing the distinctive white stripe down his back. "It's so dark, which one of my kits are you?"

The tiny kit tottered over to him. "It's me, Volekit."

Darkshade nuzzled the tiny body. "Come, I'll show you something you can only see at night."

Volekit hesitated. "Why do you smell funny?" He asked warily.

Darkshade laughed quietly. "Why, because I smell just like what you're going to see!"

Volekit perked up. "Ok, so what are we going to see?"

Darkshade's eyes gleamed. "Well, because you're a special kit, I'll take you somewhere special. Let's go straight into the ShadowClan camp!"

Volekit froze. "Y-your not Leafstripe!"  
Darkshade smiled evilly. "No, I'm not!"

Volekit turned and tried to run into the nursery, but Darkshade scooped him up and ran for the exit. Volekit let out a shriek that woke the entire clan. Bubblepool's head shot up, and she wailed when she realized only one of her kits, Stormkit, was with her. She raced out of the nursery to find Leafstripe waiting outside the den. "What happened?" He demanded.

"Volekit is gone!" She wailed. Shocked caterwauls erupted from RiverClan, but Bubblepool paid no attention. Raising her head, she yowled in anguish the name of her lost kit.


	2. Chapter 1 : Evil

Chapter 1

Stormkit yawned drowsily. She had been up since moonhigh because her tiny brother, Volekit, had been stolen! She sighed. Now she had no one to play with. She started to name off names of the kits in her head. Riverkit and Rainkit were too young; Dewkit was too old, (His apprentice ceremony was tomorrow, and he acted like he was too old to play with foolish kits.) And Lakekit, Shellkit, and Wavekit were no fun to play with. She rested her head on her paws. How boring RiverClan seemed now…

"Hi Stormkit. Wow, you sure look bored!"

Stormkit's ears pricked up. She had forgotten all about Flarepaw!

Flarepaw was discovered outside of the camp the night she was born as a tiny kit a moon old. Most RiverClan cats believed he was kin of the great Firestar, because of his flame colored pelt, but Flarepaw had just shook his head, saying that his father dumped him. They asked him who his mother was, but he said he didn't have a mother. The two had become close friends. His apprentice ceremony had been this morning, but Stormkit had dozed through the whole thing.

"So," he meowed, "What's new?"

"Oh, nothing much." Stormkit meowed sarcastically. "My brother got stolen and I have no one to play with, but other then that, life is great!"

"I'm sorry about Volekit." Flarepaw meowed.

Stormkit sighed. "Well, one good thing about this is that I'm going to be an apprentice and probably a warrior before him!"

Flarepaw laughed. "I've got to go now. Battle training!"

Stormkit watched him disappear through the reeds. Flarepaw was lucky, first day as an apprentice and he was learning how to fight! But she couldn't…She sighed. RiverClan was boring again…

A long way from the RiverClan camp, Volekit bounced against Darkshade's legs as his capturer carried him toward the ShadowClan camp. He squealed as a particularly large thorn scratched him.

"Be quiet Volekit." Darkshade mumbled, trying to sound as mean and ferocious as he could. "Or else I'll leave you here for the rats!"

Volekit quieted down as Darkshade began to pick up speed. Suddenly he burst into what seemed like the ShadowClan camp.

"Darkshade!" A smoke colored she-cat bounded up to her. "What's that?"

Darkshade cuffed her around her ears. "What does it look like furball? It's a kit!"

A crowd began to form around Darkshade, until a cream colored she-cat shoved her way through the crowd.

"Be quiet!" She yowled. "Let Darkshade be heard!"

Darkshade dipped his head. "Thank you Fogstar." He turned his attention to the crowd. "Found the little guy by the Greenleaf Twolegplace."

Fogstar nodded. "Ashpaw, take him to the nursery."

The smoke colored she-cat nodded, picking him up and carrying him toward a bush by the edge of the camp. As Volekit dangled from Ashpaw's jaws, he heard Fogstar meow; "You seem to find lots of kits lately. Good job."

Ashpaw plopped Volekit by the bush and shoved him under. "Be good and stay here." She hissed.

Volekit realized that he could recognize a watery scent, probably RiverClan, and a leafy scent, most likely ThunderClan. But why were these scents in a ShadowClan nursery? Many small shapes, most likely kits, began to move towards him. Volekit stiffened, but they were all around him. One kit barged through the circle surrounding Volekit.

"My name is Eaglekit, and I'm from WindClan." She announced. "Who are you, and where are you from?"

"I'm Volekit, and I'm from RiverClan." He stuttered.

Murmurs were passed around. "The first RiverClan…"

"Why are you here?" Volekit squeaked. "How many of you are there?"

Eaglekit counted out how may kits were here. Five from WindClan, six from ThunderClan, but he was the only kit from RiverClan.

"How did you get here?" Volekit questioned.

"It's that horrible cat!" Eaglekit snarled. "He pretended to be my dad, but then he snatched me up and brought me here!"

The other kits murmured their agreement.

"We have to get out of here!" Volekit mewed fretfully. "My mom is going to be so worried!"

Eaglekit shook her head sadly. "You don't know how many times I've tried that. They guard this place constantly."

Volekit put his head on his paws. "My sister…"

"Will probably be joining us soon." Leafkit, a ThunderClan kit, interrupted.

Volekit looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"I've got it figured out." He meowed. "That cat targets one Clan, then moves to another. Most of your friends will be joining us soon."


	3. Chapter 2 : Swimming and Fishing

Chapter 2

Stormpaw churned her paws as she swam through the marsh. She beamed proudly as she pulled herself out onto the bank ahead of the older apprentices.

"Well done Stormpaw." Minnowsplash, Stormpaw's mentor, meowed, but she sounded sad and distracted, most likely because her sister's daughter Shellkit had been stolen, just like Volekit.

"Let's go fishing now." Minnowsplash meowed.

"But I don't know how to fish yet." Stormpaw replied.

Minnowsplash shook her head. "I'm sorry…I'll teach you."

When they reached the stream, Minnowsplash crouched down, motioning for Stormpaw to do the same.

"When you see a fish, d-"

"I SEE ONE!" Stormpaw yowled, leaping after it.

"Not like that!" Minnowsplash yowled, watching as Stormpaw leaped after her prey. With a jolt, she realized the stream that she had chose to fish from was much deeper them the marsh.

**(Stormpaw's POV)**

"I SEE ONE!" I yowled, leaping into the river, ignoring what Minnowsplash was trying to tell me. I wasn't going to let my prey get away!  
I plunged underwater. I reached down to feel the pebbly bottom, but with a jolt I realized the bottom a fox length down. I desperately swam for the surface. As soon as my lungs were about to burst, I broke the surface, gasping for air.

"Stormpaw! STORMPAW!"

I turned to see my mentor racing after me.

"Get out! Your headed for the lake!" She screeched urgently, racing to catch up with me.

I desperately churned my paws, trying to reach the edge, but the current carried me to fast. I coughed as a wave hit my muzzle, and I sunk as another wave hit me down under the water. The last thing I saw was the dark bottom of the stream I was sinking in…


	4. Chapter 3 : A Terrible Fate

Chapter 3

-Stormpaw's POV-

I opened my eyes to see a beautiful silver she-cat staring at me.

"Feathertail?" I called to my long-lost cousin.

"That was a very foolish thing to do, Stormpaw." She scolded.

I gasped. "I'm not…_dead_ am I?"

Feathertail shook her head. "Although StarClan saw that you should have joined them, I begged them to keep you alive. You _are_ my cousin, after all." She meowed with a glint in her eyes.

I bowed her head. "Thank you, Feathertail."

Feathertail looked at me with a troubled look in her eyes. "StarClan has a terrible fate for you and your friend, Stormpaw."

It took me a while to let that sink in, but when I realized what her words meant, I felt cold. "Me and what friend? What kind of fate?"

She tried to answer me, but she faded as I closed my eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

I opened my eyes to see Willowfur, our medicine cat, and Minnowsplash looking down on me.

"Hi." I meowed groggily.

"That was a foolish thing-" Willowfur started to scold.

"To do, I know, I know." I moaned. "Feathertail already chewed me up already."

Minnowsplash looked at me strangely. "You saw Feathertail?"

I nodded weakly. "She said I would have gone to StarClan, be she kept me alive."

Willowfur nodded. "That I can understand. Feathertail is your cousin."

"We should let her sleep." Willowfur suggested, but I struggled against the urge to fall asleep.

"How did you fish me out?" I mumbled.

Lucky for you, I passed a hunting patrol while I was chasing after you. They fished you out of the lake."

I nodded weakly before falling into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter 4 : The Truth Hurts

Chapter 4

FOUR MOONS LATER

"Stormpaw!"

I spun around to see Flaretooth padding toward me. "Do you want to go fishing?"

He looked happy to see me, but he seemed distracted…

"No, it's ok." I meowed, looking at his reaction.

"Come on, let's go!" He insisted, racing for the river. I sighed racing after him. When we got there, he crouched by the river, but he wasn't concentrating on fishing. He seemed to be staring deep into space…

Stormpaw crouched next to him. "Are you ok?"

That seemed to make his mind. "No I'm not ok." He meowed hurriedly. 'You've got to get out of here!"

Stormpaw stood up. "Why?"

"Yes, why the rush?"

Flaretooth stiffened as a black cat strolled out of a bush and went to stand behind Flaretooth.

"Thank you, Flaretooth, you've been a big help." He purred.

Stormpaw stared. "Flaretooth, do you know this cat?"

The strange new cat purred. "I am Darkshade of ShadowClan. This cat here is Flaretooth, but not of RiverClan, but of ShadowClan. He has been my spy as I have stolen your kits, Volekit, Lakekit, Wavekit, and Riverkit."

Stormpaw took a step forward. "Flaretooth, is this true?"

"Yes." He whispered softly. "He is my father's brother."

Darkshade purred. "He was the only kit in the nursery. He was lonely, so I persuaded him to help me. I was the one who placed him outside you camp. He has helped me steal your kits every night, as Falconwing, who is living in WindClan, and Hollypelt, who is living in ThunderClan, have helped me steal those kits too."

Stormpaw gasped. "Flaretooth, why did you agree?"

Flaretooth did not meet Stormpaw's gaze. "He made me and my sisters think we were the only kits in the litter. I didn't know I had two sisters. Darkshade told me that if I helped him, I would have some friends. So that night, he took my sisters and me to our separate homes. We helped him steal as we lived normal lives."

Darkshade smiled evilly. "But now that you have told her our secrets, you, Stormpaw, must be silenced. This is the river you drowned in, isn't it?"

Suddenly Rainpaw stuck her head out from a bush. Seeing that Stormpaw was in trouble, she kept quiet.

Flaretooth, sensing Rainpaw's presence, flicked a rock with his tail at Darkshade.

Darkshade whirled around. "Who flicked that rock?"

Stormpaw quickly mouthed, "Get Featherstar and a fighting patrol."

She nodded and disappeared.

Without any warning, Darkshade raced at me. She braced herself to be pushed into the ice-cold river.

It never came.

Heartbeats before Darkshade shoved her into the river, Flaretooth shoved her to safety. Flaretooth, not Stormpaw was shoved into the river. Darkshade had no time to stop as he rammed into his son. Flaretooth crashed into the river and desperately tried to churn his paws, but just like Stormpaw, the pebbly bottom was several fox-lengths below. As the current washed him downstream, Stormpaw tried desperately to keep up with him. Passing a Border Patrol, she yowled, "Help! Flaretooth is in the river! He can't fight it!" The startled patrol was soon racing along with her. As the trees thinned out, she caught sight of Flaretooth, struggling in the middle of the lake. Without thought, she launched herself into the lake, not noticing Minnowsplash trying to hold her back.

"You can't go out there! You can't swim that well yet!" Minnowsplash yowled.

"Flaretooth can't swim well either!" Stormpaw screamed, still struggling to reach him.

Before she could reach him, Flaretooth seemed to stop struggling. Stormpaw watched in horror as his head slowly slid under the water, and out of sight.


	6. Chapter 5 : The Gathering

Chapter 5

Stormpaw lay in her nest, staring glumly at the walls. She kept playing the scene where Flaretooth drowned in her mind, over and over and over. After she had been lead back to camp, she had told Featherstar everything – how Flaretooth was ShadowClan, and how they were stealing kits. She had promised to announce them at the Gathering tonight.

Rainpaw poked her head in. "Featherstar was wondering if you would like to come to the Gathering tonight. She said you'd have to hear the news for yourself."

Stormpaw's head shot up. If she went, she would be going ahead of some of the older apprentices, like Dewpaw, the stuck-up furball!

"Yes, tell Featherstar I'd like to go." She replied.

As soon as Rainpaw left, she stretched and padded outside to eat something. She had a long night ahead of her!

* * * * *

Stormpaw raced alongside Minnowsplash as they neared the tree bridge. She could see WindClan approaching from the opposite direction. Before WindClan reached the tree bridge, Featherstar hopped on the trunk and began to scurry forward, Marshclaw, her deputy, doing the same. When it was my turn, I took a deep breath, and launched myself upward. The weight of her landing made the tree bridge bounce up and down. She froze, then began to make her way toward the beach on the other side. As soon as she got close enough, she leapt lightly, landing on the pebbly bottom. She started padding toward the center of the island, and gasped at what she saw.

There was a HUGE oak tree, with twisting roots at the bottom. Featherstar, along with Fogstar, ShadowClan leader, Airstar, WindClan leader, and Fawnstar, leader of ThunderClan.

She found a spot to sit, right next to a dapple she-cat. The dappled she-cat smiled.

"Is this your first Gathering?" She asked.

Stormpaw nodded. "I'm Stormpaw." She mewed.

The she-cat smiled. "I'm Hopepaw from WindClan."

Stormpaw smiled, but her mind instinctively played back the prophecy by Oakheart.

_Darkness will smother the fire, leaving the storm alone, but hope will join the battle in an attempt for victory._

If "Darkness" was Darkshade, then Flaretooth was "fire" and Stormpaw was "storm", it would make sense, because Darkshade killed Flaretooth, leaving Stormpaw alone. And if Hopepaw was "Hope"…

She was about to speak to Hopepaw, but Featherstar let out an enormous caterwaul, signaling for the meeting to start.

"If I may, I would like to speak for RiverClan first." She meowed.

When none of the other leaders objected, she meowed, "I have some "unsettling" news that would sound better coming from the cat that witnessed it. Stormpaw?" She called to the sea of cats.

Hopepaw nudged her forward. "That's you!" She whispered.

Stormpaw held her head high as she made her way toward the oak. She gazed up at Featherstar, who invited her to sit next to her.

"Cats of ThunderClan and WindClan!" Stormpaw meowed. "Would Hollypelt and Falconwing please step forward?"

There were murmurs from ThunderClan and WindClan, then a black she-cat with blue eyes and a gray she-cat with darker gray flecks and green eyes stepped forward.

"I am Hollypelt." The black she-cat meowed, dipping her head.

"And I am Falconwing." The gray she-cat meowed, also dipping her head.

"Do you two know of a cat named Flaretooth?" She asked.

The two cats exchanged a glance, the Hollypelt replied, "We have seen him once or twice at Gatherings." She replied truthfully.

"Have you two been friends for very long?" She questioned.

"Well, we've only met at the last Gathering." Falconwing meowed confidently.

Stormpaw shook her head. "You're more related then that. You two are sisters."


	7. Chapter 6 : An Dishonest Confession

Chapter 6

-Stormpaw's POV-

"WHAT?!" The two cats screeched.

"That's right." I meowed firmly. "You two are sisters and Flaretooth is your brother."

"Ok, so where is he?" Hollypelt meowed, looking around.

I sadly gazed at them. "In StarClan." I mewed quietly.

"What?" Falconwing squeaked.

"Your brother is dead." My voice turned into a snarl. "He was murdered by a filthy, rotten, horrible ShadowClan cat!!"

ShadowClan roared its disapproval. But I paid no attention to them.

"Darkshade!" I screamed. "Darkshade is a murderous cat! He is the one stealing the clan's kits! And he is using you two to do it!" I flicked my tail at them.

After the clan's quieted down, I turned to Airstar. "Airstar, have some of your kits disappeared?"

She nodded. "Five, to be exact."

Fawnstar and ThunderClan had lost six.

"RiverClan has lost five." I meowed. Then, I confronted Fogstar.

"Fogstar." I meowed carefully. "Have you…rescued any kits lately?"

Fogstar shook her head. "I have not, but Darkshade has."

"How many?"

"Sixteen. All have been made apprentices."

I turned to the sea of cats. "Is it a coincidence, or has Darkshade been stealing kits in the night?" I yowled.

"I have."

I was surprised when Darkshade spoke up.

"You have seen ShadowClan as the strongest clan, the biggest clan. But our warriors are dying, our queens bear no kits. During leaf-bare, we have become the smallest clan, the weakest clan."

He looked up at me.

"But I know what I have done was wrong. I will have warriors return your missing apprentices.

But something in his eyes told me something was going to go terribly wrong.


	8. Chapter 7 : Return, Shock and Scheming

Chapter 7

"They're back! They're back!"

My head popped up. The apprentices have returned!

Lakepaw ran into the camp, and was greeted by her mother, Fishfur, and Wavepaw not far behind. Shellpaw ran in, followed by Riverpaw.

One, two, three, four…Where was my brother?

I padded up to Shellpaw. "Shellpaw, have you seen my brother?"

She shook her head.

Suddenly, my mother let out a strangled wail. I turned to see a ShadowClan warrior lay my brother by her feet. He was covered in blood.

He was dead.

I shook. I was furious. I marched right up to that warrior. "What did you do to him?" I snarled.

He shook his head solemnly. "I swear by StarClan, I didn't kill him. Darkshade did!"

_Now_ I was _far_ more then furious.

"I'll kill him!" I screamed. "I'll kill him like he killed my brother!"

* * * * *

"By the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Stormwind. StarClan acknowledges your skill and courage."

My heart swell with pride as Featherstar rested her muzzle on my head.

_But Volepaw should be with me, _I mewed silently.

* * * * *

"Border patrol, Stormwind."

I slowly rose out of my nest and padded out of the camp. I still mourned for Volepaw, but I tried to forget and get on with my life.

As we passed the WindClan border, I saw Hopepaw, the apprentice from the Gathering. I slowly lagged behind, till I lost the patrol altogether.

"Hopepaw!" I hissed.

Hopepaw turned her head. "It's Hopespirit now." She purred.

"I need to talk to you." I hissed. "Have you had any dreams lately?"

She licked her paw and drew it over one ear. "Yes." She meowed. "Heathertail came and told me that Darkness will smother the fire, leaving the storm alone, but that hope would join the battle in an attempt for victory."

I drew in my breath. This is what I had been waiting for!

"You may not realize it, but it's happening." I meowed. "Darkshade is "Darkness" and he killed a warriors, Flaretooth, who is the "fire." I am the storm, and you are the hope. I think our clans need to work together to get rid of Darkshade!"

Hopespirit looked at me. "It's worth a try."


	9. Chapter 8 : The Finish

Chapter 8

"FlareClan attack!" I screeched as all of WindClan, ThunderClan, and RiverClan swarmed down the hill into the ShadowClan camp. Turns out that at least one apprentice from each clan had been brought back killed. We united into a joint clan, which I named FlareClan after Flaretooth.

The battle was in our favor. The warriors who didn't retreat were trampled. Our orders were that we wouldn't touch queens, kits, or elders.

I saw that the warriors were being taken care of. Now I sought out Darkshade.

I saw him huddled in a corner, half dead. When he saw me, his eyes grew wide with fear.

"Don't hurt me…" He whimpered.

I unsheathed my claws. "This if for Volepaw." I snarled as I brought my claws up and struck.

* * * * *

"We promise that none of our warriors will ever harm any of your clanmates ever again." Fogstar promised.

"They better not." Hopespirit snarled. I glanced to the side of the clearing. Three warriors and Darkshade were killed.

"Now that we have defeated Darkshade, our clans must disperse." Fawnstar meowed. "But we will honor you for bringing our clans together to defeat the darkness."

With that, WindClan, ThunderClan, and my clan, RiverClan, padded off our separate ways, leaving ShadowClan standing in their battle-scarred clearing.


End file.
